Vladimir Putin is inaugurated as president of Russia.

Vladimir Putin is a significant and controversial figure in global politics. He has served as both President and Prime Minister of Russia, positions he has held since 1999 in varying capacities. Born on October 7, 1952, in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Russia, Putin studied law at Leningrad State University, graduating in 1975.

After graduation, he joined the KGB, the Soviet Union’s security agency, and served for 16 years, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Putin retired from active KGB service and entered politics in his hometown of Saint Petersburg. He moved to Moscow in 1996 and quickly ascended the political ranks, becoming the head of the FSB (the KGB’s successor) and then Secretary of the Security Council.

In 1999, President Boris Yeltsin appointed Putin as Prime Minister, and later that year, Yeltsin resigned, appointing Putin as acting President. Putin won his first presidential term in 2000 and was re-elected in 2004. Due to constitutional term limits, he served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2012 under President Dmitry Medvedev but maintained significant influence. In 2012 and again in 2018, Putin was re-elected as President.

Putin’s tenure has been marked by significant economic growth, military reform, and the reassertion of Russia as a major power on the world stage. However, his administration has also been criticized for authoritarian practices, the erosion of democratic institutions, suppression of opposition, control over the media, and allegations of corruption and election manipulation.

Internationally, Putin has pursued an assertive foreign policy, most notably the annexation of Crimea in 2014, involvement in the Syrian civil war, and ongoing tensions with Western countries. His leadership continues to evoke strong reactions, ranging from staunch support within Russia to severe criticism and sanctions from abroad.

Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream is recovered undamaged after being stolen from the National Gallery of Norway in February.

Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream” is considered a masterpiece of modern art due to its highly emotional and expressive content. It is one of the most recognizable and iconic paintings in the world, and its popularity has only increased since its creation in 1893.

The painting depicts a human figure, with its head thrown back and its mouth open in a silent scream. The sky behind the figure is a swirling mixture of orange and red, while the foreground is dominated by a bridge and a body of water. The figure’s anguished expression and the vibrant colors of the sky have become symbols of modern anxiety and alienation.

The painting’s power lies in its ability to express the artist’s innermost emotions and feelings through the use of bold and expressive brushstrokes, which create a sense of movement and immediacy. The viewer can sense the emotional turmoil of the figure in the painting and can relate to the sense of isolation and anxiety that it conveys.

Additionally, “The Scream” is considered a seminal work of the Expressionist movement, which aimed to convey intense emotional states and psychological turmoil through art. As such, it has been an inspiration to many artists and has had a profound influence on the development of modern art.

Greece’s independence is recognized by the Treaty of London.

Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream is recovered undamaged after being stolen from the National Gallery of Norway in February.

Vladimir Putin is inaugurated as president of Russia.
[rdp-wiki-embed url=’https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Putin’]

The Honda Accord is officially launched.

The Honda Accord is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. The Accord nameplate has been applied to a variety of vehicles worldwide, including coupes, wagons, hatchbacks and a crossover.

The first generation Honda Accord was launched on 7 May 1976 as a three-door hatchback with 68 hp, a 93.7-inch wheelbase, and a weight of about 2,000 pounds. Japanese market cars claimed 80 PS JIS, while European and other export markets received a model without emissions control equipment; it claimed 80 PS as well but according to the stricter DIN norm. It was a platform expansion of the earlier Honda Civic at 4,125 mm long. To comply with recently enacted emission regulations enacted in Japan, the engine was fitted with Honda’s CVCC technology. The Accord sold well due to its moderate size and great fuel economy. It was one of the first Japanese sedans with features like cloth seats, a tachometer, intermittent wipers, and an AM/FM radio as standard equipment. In 1978 an LX version of the hatchback was added which came with air conditioning, a digital clock, and power steering. Until the Accord, and the closely related Prelude, power steering had not been available to cars under two litres. Japanese buyers were liable for slightly more annual road tax over the smaller Civic, which had a smaller engine.

On 14 October 1977, a four-door sedan was added to the lineup, and power went to 72 hp when the 1,599 cc EF1 engine was supplemented and in certain markets replaced by the 1,751 cc an EK-1 unit. In 1980 the optional two-speed semi-automatic transmission of previous years became a three-speed fully automatic gearbox a four-speed automatic transaxle was not used in the Accord until the 1983 model year. The North American versions had slightly redesigned bumper trim. Other changes included new grilles and taillamps and remote mirrors added on the four-door and the LX models. The CVCC badges were deleted, but the CVCC induction system remained.

In North America, the 1981 model year only brought detail changes such as new fabrics and some new color combinations. Nivorno Beige was replaced by Oslo Ivory. Dark brown was discontinued, as was the bronze metallic. A bit later in 1981 an SE model was added for the first time, with Novillo leather seats and power windows. Base model hatchbacks, along with the four-door, LX, and SE four-door, all received the same smaller black plastic remote mirror. The instrument cluster was revised with mostly pictograms which replaced worded warning lights and gauge markings. The shifter was redesigned to have a stronger spring to prevent unintentional engagement of reverse, replacing the spring-loaded shift knob of the 1976 to 1980 model year cars. By 1981 power for the 1.8 was down to a claimed 68 hp in North America.

The Honda Accord officially launched.

The Honda Accord is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. The Accord nameplate has been applied to a variety of vehicles worldwide, including coupes, wagons, hatchbacks and a crossover.

The first generation Honda Accord was launched on 7 May 1976 as a three-door hatchback with 68 hp, a 93.7-inch wheelbase, and a weight of about 2,000 pounds. Japanese market cars claimed 80 PS JIS, while European and other export markets received a model without emissions control equipment; it claimed 80 PS as well but according to the stricter DIN norm. It was a platform expansion of the earlier Honda Civic at 4,125 mm long. To comply with recently enacted emission regulations enacted in Japan, the engine was fitted with Honda’s CVCC technology. The Accord sold well due to its moderate size and great fuel economy. It was one of the first Japanese sedans with features like cloth seats, a tachometer, intermittent wipers, and an AM/FM radio as standard equipment. In 1978 an LX version of the hatchback was added which came with air conditioning, a digital clock, and power steering. Until the Accord, and the closely related Prelude, power steering had not been available to cars under two litres. Japanese buyers were liable for slightly more annual road tax over the smaller Civic, which had a smaller engine.

On 14 October 1977, a four-door sedan was added to the lineup, and power went to 72 hp when the 1,599 cc EF1 engine was supplemented and in certain markets replaced by the 1,751 cc an EK-1 unit. In 1980 the optional two-speed semi-automatic transmission of previous years became a three-speed fully automatic gearbox a four-speed automatic transaxle was not used in the Accord until the 1983 model year. The North American versions had slightly redesigned bumper trim. Other changes included new grilles and taillamps and remote mirrors added on the four-door and the LX models. The CVCC badges were deleted, but the CVCC induction system remained.

In North America, the 1981 model year only brought detail changes such as new fabrics and some new color combinations. Nivorno Beige was replaced by Oslo Ivory. Dark brown was discontinued, as was the bronze metallic. A bit later in 1981 an SE model was added for the first time, with Novillo leather seats and power windows. Base model hatchbacks, along with the four-door, LX, and SE four-door, all received the same smaller black plastic remote mirror. The instrument cluster was revised with mostly pictograms which replaced worded warning lights and gauge markings. The shifter was redesigned to have a stronger spring to prevent unintentional engagement of reverse, replacing the spring-loaded shift knob of the 1976 to 1980 model year cars. By 1981 power for the 1.8 was down to a claimed 68 hp in North America.

Vladimir Putin becomes the president of Russia.

The painting ‘The Scream’ is recovered after being stolen from the National Gallery of Norway in February.